The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1887-10-19

Race LOve---ssWin a Negro Steala''
Editor Mirror:
There can be no doubt that fish think deal
more Of fish (supposng them to be capable Of
such an emotion) than they do of birds; and the
same may be said of birds. These beyond question
think more of one another than they do of beasts.
while beasts in turn think more of beasts than
they do OF men, and man follows the same bent.
He thinks more of man than he does of fish. or Of
birds or of beasts. Still often hear of dog
eating dog. but when it comes to negro eating
negro. it. little contrary to the enlightenment of
the 10Th century. here call the attention Of the
readers of THE MIRROR to the article published
in its issue of the 18th inst. ''Will a Negro
Steal?' The author of the same is negro who,
some years ago, while hoeng in the waving corn
fields of Kentucky, became tired from tol, and
laid down under shady tree to sleep. While
sleeping he had dream. Lo as it were. man
appeared to him lin his Iaem) with tidings of
great joy. Get thee up out OF this land, for thou
art annointed to be great poet.' So we find
he has left his old Kentucky home far away be-
hind him, and instead of the hoe he has graspad
the pen. ~ sword in the hands of an infant is
dangerous only to the holder. So l say pen in
the hands of Kentucky dreamer is dangerous to
him only. Allow me to tell you. my refined fellow
convict wv IT," that you are just twenty years
behind the times: that while you we're sleeping in
the corn fields OF Kentucky, the 18th. 14th and
18th amendments have brought your nation to The
sublime landmark OF education and learning
Furthermore. that you are not in Kentucky now,
and that you are across the Mason and Dixon line
many miles; perhaps you don't know it. What do
you know about Cleveland or what does Cleveland
or the democratic party know about you? They,
as party. know their slaves or hrelings;
they underrate us. Knowing them only as mas
ters we overrate them. They regard us as spirit
less and mean. We regard them cruel and blood
thirsty. In their eyes we are dishonest; in ours
they are hypocrites and robbers. To Il larger
extent than either believes, both are mistaken;
each is more human than the other thinks On the
score of intellect and religion, however, we know
them decidedly better than they know us; and for
the reason we read their books, magazines and
papers, while they don't think ours worth the
reading Why is it? Because such negroes as you
who dreamed they were scholars write such arti-
cles as yours that make them sick, and 1 cau't
blame them. SO take my advice and go back to
Kentucky, for you out of your latitude. Your
gift as a scholar is n. e. and your dream lied to
the dream. and suppose your wisdom has taught
you that chickens roost higher in Minnesota than
they do in Kentucky, and that the sun isn't quite
as hot. that the colored man isn't quite as gno-
rant as those in Kentucky, and that your would-be
wit is not appreciated. Napoleon said to his
brave legions in gltttering array, "Remember, the
eyes OF Europe are upon you" And the colored
people should rem ember that the eyes of mankind
are upon them. The cOlored man Is on trial be-
fore the world and so long that such negroes exist
as the one I've got before me- they will ever be
convicted. The cOlOred man has task never be-
fore imposed upon race beneath the stars.
Races have fought wars Of conquest; races have
fought to establish and overthrow dynasties; races
have fought to establish and extripate religions;
races have fought to throw off the yoke of tyrants;
races have fought tor personal liberty-but no
race ever had to combat the combined sent-
ment of mankind to establish its character. The
colored race is fighting for all that makes life
dear. on earth or in nheaven-character. Shall we
prove equal to the momentus demands of our day
and generation, or dsgracefully. ignominiously
faill Yes, if any more of the Kentucky dreamers
come to the front with their sickenng articles,
we'n fail. So take my advice anl instead of